(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to the art of automatically inserting electronic components having in-line leads, such as dual-inline packages (DIP's), into circuit boards and, more particularly, to an apparatus for storing and feeding such components into a component inserting machine.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,347 to Woodman, Jr. discloses a machine for sequentially inserting multilead components, such as DIP's, into circuit boards. In the machine, components are released from a plurality of magazine sections and are temporarily stored in a magazine assembly. These are then selectively taken up therefrom one by one by a computer-controlled picker mechanism and are transferred to an inserting head. Each magazine section comprises a plurality of so-called "stick magazines" having through channels in which the components are received in an end-to-end arrangement. After all the components in any one stick magazine are released, the empty stick magazine is removed from the magazine section for manual replacement with a new stick magazine loaded with components. The need for replacement of stick magazines means the inserting machine often has to be stopped, making a continuous inserting operation impossible.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 57-18399, published Jan. 30, 1982, describes a component inserting machine provided with an automatic feed mechanism. As shown in FIGS. 1A to 1C of that publication, the inserting machine comprises a component storage and dispensing section 1a, a conveyor section 1b, a cutting and conforming section 1c, an inserting section 1d, and an X-Y table. The storage and dispensing section is specifically designed for the storage of a large amount of components. Toward this end, the storage and dispensing section is provided with a slanted tray capable of receiving thereon a plurality of magazine holders or cassette holders (see FIGS. 1A to 1C). Each magazine holder is adapted to accommodate a stack of "stick magazines" as shown in FIG. 3. The components received in the lowermost stick magazine are released one by one by means of an escapement mechanism (FIGS. 5A and 5B). The magazine holder 5 is provided with a detent mechanism 6 (FIG. 3) for releasably retaining the lowermost stick magazine received in the magazine holder. Upon completion of the release of all the components from the lowermost stick magazine, the detent mechanism is released to permit the now empty lowermost stick magazine to be dropped out of the magazine holder through an aperture 5c provided in the bottom of the holder. The next stick magazine then descends to the lowermost position so that the components are then released from the next magazine, thereby assuring a fairly continuous supply of components. Actuation of the detent mechanism and discharge of the lowermost stick magazine are repeated until all the stick magazines received in the magazine holder are dropped thereform. In this apparatus, however, the magazine holder remains in the tray even after all the stick magazines are released from that holder. Thus, the empty magazine holder must be removed manually from the tray and replaced with a fresh magazine holder filled with stick magazines. The replacement of magazine holders is not only cumbersome, but also results in considerable downtime, particularly in a high-speed inserting machine.